Journey to Ithaca
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon - do not fear them.
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine emotion
touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your heart does not set them up before you.
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your heart does not set them up before you.
Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
that you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
that you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.
Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.
Without her you would never have set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithaca means.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithaca means.
Constantine Cavafy ( 1863 - 1933 ), a Greek Poet
Translated by Rae Dalven
Translated by Rae Dalven
This is a magnificent poem, a nice parable about Life, we all could relate to, in our own way. I had read it long time back but completely forgotten about it until I read it recently in the book, "The Zahir" by Paulo Coelho.
I am sure each one of us have our own Ithaca. What is yours ???
Whatever your Ithaca is, as the poet says, "Do not hurry the voyage at all" :))
Enjoy "The Journey" !.
Whatever your Ithaca is, as the poet says, "Do not hurry the voyage at all" :))
Enjoy "The Journey" !.
the Ithaca I looked up looks sooo dreeeaaammmyyyy..... can we go there???? :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like my Ithaca is yours too :)) Remember, according to the poem we can not hurry the voyage ;) The journey will take a loooooooooooooooooooooooong time!!!
Deleteno probs...we'll take the long route thru Dubrovnik, Athens, Mykonos and Santorini and stop by Cyprus also on the way ... :)
Delete...sound like a plan ;)
Delete